Asked what rules changes/emphasises (emphases?) he feels will be impactful in 2009, Pereira's response was immediate.

"Offensive holding."

According to stats compiled by the league, officials made 587 offensive holding calls in 2008. It was the second-most called penalty, behind false starts (653) and ahead of offside (313).

As a whole, total penalties were at their lowest point (3,392) since 1992 (3,344).

And the drop in holding calls was noticeable. In 2005, officials threw flags for holding 880 times, a difference of nearly 300.

Pereira said that, in breaking down video of all games from 2008, officials failed to penalize 177 holding calls. He said there were also "about 50 missed calls, for more than 220 mistakes in total."

From profootballtalk.com

I don't like the game being slowed down by lots of penalties but if the rule is on the book it needs to be enforced. There was a noticeable drop off last year with blatant holding not being called many times. I recall one play last year where Mario's arm was fully extended behind him held by the OT - no flag. Hopefully they find a good balance.

Blazing Arrow

08-21-2009, 12:25 PM

I would prefer more delay of game calls :francis:

CloakNNNdagger

08-21-2009, 01:01 PM

From profootballtalk.com

I don't like the game being slowed down by lots of penalties but if the rule is on the book it needs to be enforced. There was a noticeable drop off last year with blatant holding not being called many times. I recall one play last year where Mario's arm was fully extended behind him held by the OT - no flag. Hopefully they find a good balance.

My concern with this is that most of us would have to agree: If you watch plays very carefully, probably you would find holding could be called in the majority of them. That being said, as it stood before, the refs have had a great deal of control over the outcome of games...............now they could have "dicatorial" power over the same. Remember, holding calls cannot be reviewed.

infantrycak

08-21-2009, 01:11 PM

My concern with this is that most of us would have to agree: If you watch plays very carefully, probably you would find holding could be called in the majority of them. That being said, as it stood before, the refs have had a great deal of control over the outcome of games...............now they could have "dicatorial" power over the same. Remember, holding calls cannot be reviewed.

I certainly understand that concern (I'd say we saw that kind of outcome determinative call when Seth Payne got called for a freak defensive holding call a few years back which gave the other team a 1st down after an unsuccessful 4th quarter 3rd down attempt) but the solution isn't to just give up on holding. There were almost 300 less holding calls last year than 2005. This seems like just getting back to enforcing the rule rather than over emphasizing it.

HoustonFrog

08-21-2009, 02:23 PM

Great now I can watch Flozell get about 10 more a game to go with his 3 false starts.

As for the rule. I screamed at many games last year where guys had obvious hand grabbing but let go and they let it slide. I don't want the game dictated by the refs but I hate it more when obvious calls get missed.

infantrycak

08-21-2009, 03:00 PM

I don't want the game dictated by the refs but I hate it more when obvious calls get missed.

That's where I am. In truth, not calling a holding penalty can dictate the game just as much as calling one. I like the old rule of thumb guidelines of you can get away with a lot inside the frame of your body but if he gets outside your frame and you hold the hanky flies.

HoustonFrog

08-21-2009, 03:07 PM

That's where I am. In truth, not calling a holding penalty can dictate the game just as much as calling one. I like the old rule of thumb guidelines of you can get away with a lot inside the frame of your body but if he gets outside your frame and you hold the hanky flies.

Agree completely. If you can lock them up inside..fine. But I saw alot of DEs turning corners last year where a lineman was outstretched and still trying to impede with a last grasp. The call was never made.

Double Barrel

08-21-2009, 03:18 PM

Good news for our defensive line! :thumbup :texflag:

CloakNNNdagger

08-21-2009, 08:03 PM

That's where I am. In truth, not calling a holding penalty can dictate the game just as much as calling one. I like the old rule of thumb guidelines of you can get away with a lot inside the frame of your body but if he gets outside your frame and you hold the hanky flies.

If that's what the refs consistently go for, then I'm on board. I just don't want to see the games totally taken over with flying snot rags, like I've seen in the NBA where you seem to many times solely live or die by the zebras' moods and biases.